Manayunk Magazine | Winter 2020

WINTER 2020

Dressed to Impress The story of how sisters went from pop-up shop to full-blown fashion icons

Save Small Businesses | The Puppy Boom Hell or High Water

There’s nothing like a classic during the holidays.

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magazine

contents WINTER 2020

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A “Walk” of Art

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A resource guide for all those pandemic pets.

Take a tour of some of Manayunk’s newest public art installations.

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Save Small Businesses They need your support now more than ever.

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Coming Together While Apart The new normal on Main Street.

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Cover Profile

The Puppy Boom

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Hell or High Water

COVID collaborations reinvented the word “community.”

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Now Open Getting to know the brave entrepreneurs who opened their doors in 2020.

From local pop-up shop to fashion icons.

Editorial + Production Editors

Megan Douress, Leo Dillinger, Meghan Sack, and Jessica Jewel Tyler.

Design Cantor Design, cantordesign.com

Manayunk Magazine is published by the Manayunk Development Corp.

Manayunk Development Corporation 4312 Main Street Photography Philadelphia, PA 19127 Susan Beard Design Co / susanbearddesign.com 215.482.9565 | info@manayunk.org Alexa Nahas Photography / alexanahas.com Melissa Kelly Photography / melissakellyphotography.com Cover JPG Photo & Video / jpgphotography.com Photographed by Susan Beard Design Co TERRYLEAHYFILMS / terryleahyfilms.com susanbearddesign.com 4

manayunk.com | Winter 2020

M A N AY U N K L O C AT I O N 4 2 6 0 M A I N S T, P H I L A D E L P H I A , PA 1 9 1 2 7 215.709.2888 N E W L E A F M A N AY U N K . C O M B R O O M A L L L O C AT I O N 2 9 1 6 W E S T C H E S T E R P I K E , B R O O M A L L PA 1 9 0 0 8 610-353-8888 W W W. N E W L E A F C U I S I N E . C O M

YA R D L E Y L O C AT I O N 1 1 9 F L O R A L VA L E B LV D. , YA R D L E Y PA 1 9 0 6 7 267-682-6888 W W W. P U R P L E L E A F C U I S I N E . C O M

A “Walk” of Art Take a tour of Manayunk to find some of its newest masterpieces.

By Megan Douress Photos by TERRYLEAHYFILMS (terryleahyfilms.com)

In an effort to bring people together during the pandemic, the Manayunk Development Corporation founded the Art is Manayunk committee, which has overseen the installation of several new pieces of public art since the spring. Below are just a few of the latest, but there are more to come!

What’s your favorite?

Rainbow Bridge by Sugar Cadavers (@sugarcadavers) Shurs Lane and Cresson Street Rainbows have long been a symbol of hope, luck, and solidarity. When Philadelphia was under a stay-at-home order, handmade paintings could be found inside the windows of homes and rainbow chalk art was a regular sighting on afternoon walks.

In honor of what would have been the 31st Annual Manayunk Arts Festival on June 27-28, 2020, local artist, Michelle Smith, also known as Sugar Cadavers, installed “Rainbow Bridge” at the intersection of Shurs Lane and Cresson Streets just as Philadelphia was entering the yellow phase.

“This mural is much more minimalist than my usual work!” said Michelle. “I love color blocking but tend to always end up adding lots and lots of detail to my pieces. I was so excited by the location for this piece and wanted to highlight the iconic shape of the stones composing the bridge,” she continued.

“I thought this was a great chance to try something more bold and simple to really highlight the existing beautiful architecture of the bridge arch.”

“Rainbow Bridge” has been a favorite — and an Instagram hotspot! — among visitors and residents of Main Street since its installation in June.

“I designed this mural to be playful and colorful and to spark joy and hope in the people who pass by it,” said Michelle. “I want people to feel inspired to follow their dreams and their passions, even if it seems impossible. The world needs rainbow warriors, spreading love, compassion, and joy even in these times of revolution.”

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Watermelon Manayunk by Glossblack LLC (@glossblack) 4328 Main Street One Main Street project led to another for Jimmy, also known as Glossblack LLC. Back in July, Jimmy was commissioned to paint a mural on the interior walls of Pizza Jawn at 4330 Main Street when a boarded up blank canvas next door was calling his name. He quickly got in touch with the property owner and the rest is history.

“This mural was 100% my own idea — created for the space,” said Jimmy.

“Much of my work is client-driven, so it was nice to create something that was fully mine. I also don’t typically do letters made of fruit, so this was also a first!”

“I wanted it to be very fun and bright and drive home the summertime vibe – with the strong intention to turn people’s heads as they are driving down Main Street,” he continued.

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Jimmy also donated his lettering talents to “Manayunk at Dusk” at 4000 Main Street in 2017. Since painting “Watermelon Manayunk,” Jimmy was commissioned to create a mural on Taqueria Amor’s building, which can be seen from the Manayunk towpath.

“I hope people are pleasantly surprised when they encounter it,” Jimmy said of “Watermelon Manayunk.” “It’s definitely intended to give locals a sense of pride and provide a fun photo opportunity with friends. I also hope that it plants the seed — no pun intended — that we can do more with boring vacant spaces, even if it’s just there for a short time. I believe it’s important for communities to allow artists — local and non-local — to work in public spaces, mix things up, and help inspire others.”

Tulpenhanink nta by Paul Santoleri 2 Cotton Street (Cotton Street and the Manayunk Canal) The Manayunk Towpath is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of walkers, bikers, and runners every year. When the city was shut down due to the pandemic, Manayunk saw a significant increase in foot traffic for those seeking some fresh air, and the Manayunk Development Corporation was inspired to add more art to the path for all to enjoy.

Local artist, Paul Santoleri, has done a number of pieces in the Manayunk area, most notably the mosaics on the Fountain Street steps and “Concrete Tree” on the northern end of the towpath, so it was only natural for him to pick up where he left off. Paul incorporated both paint and mosaics for the new installation on the Cotton Street Bridge, which he named “Tulpehanink nta,” meaning “turtle creek” in Lenape.

“I thought that it would be beautiful to embed glass into the rough texture of the bridge surface and to create reflective medallions on a painted background,” Paul explained of the design. “The three mosaic areas depict the local turtle, a catfish, and milkweed, which attracts monarchs. They all live here on

the banks or in the canal. I also wanted to convey a sense of the movement of water – although it goes by slowly, the water is always moving.”

While anyone walking the length of the towpath can see the similarities of “Tulpenhanink nta” to Paul’s other work, Paul is often inspired by his surroundings with each piece he creates.

“I try to respond to the situation at hand, so my work often varies from piece to piece,” Paul said. “I believe there is a consistent thread that comes out of my hands. These are tiny mosaic pieces and I have not used that technique in many other public artworks.”

He hopes that Manayunk residents and guests enjoy the piece as much as he enjoyed creating it.

“I was especially happy to see the turtles stick their heads out right under me and watch while I was installing,” Paul said. “I hope there might be smiles in response to the artwork and that the people using the trail might slow down and notice the beauty of the area they are riding, walking, and jogging through.”

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How To Save Your Small Business Community Why it’s so important, now more than ever, to spend your money locally this holiday season.

By Leo Dillinger Photos by TERRYLEAHYFILMS (terryleahyfilms.com) and Melissa Kelly Photography (melissakellyphotography.com)

F

ive years ago, I wrote a piece for this very magazine entitled, “The Huge Despite the state’s phased reopening and a limited number of available grants Impact of Small Business.” It was a manifesto of sorts encouraging readers and forgivable loans, many small businesses still face the long road to recovery. to think twice about going straight to Amazon, department stores, and Owners furloughed longtime employees or erased their jobs altogether. To add malls for their holiday shopping needs and consider spending their money locally to the burden of lost revenue, investing in plexiglass barriers, temperature readat their favorite small businesses. ers, and other personal protective equipment became additional out-of-pocket Fast-forward to 2020, small businesses encounter expenses to comply with health guidelines. And the same challenges but now, the stakes are much with each passing month, more and more small higher. As a direct result of the COVID-19 panbusinesses have reached the difficult decision to “Supporting local businesses at demic and the stay-at-home orders that followed, permanently close their doors. any time always means you small businesses across the country had no choice According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an are helping put food on tables, paying but to shut their doors this spring. Dine-in restaurants estimated 30% of small businesses fail in their secthe mortgage, or investing in your neighreverted to takeout and delivery models they never ond year and roughly 50% close after five years. bors. Now more than ever, in the face of practiced before. Retail shops deemed “non-essenThe pandemic has accelerated these statistics. tial” relied on E-commerce and curbside pickup to Just over a decade ago, businesses already expeCOVID-19, supporting local means ensurstay afloat. Gyms and fitness studios turned to Zoom rienced their “once-in-a-lifetime” recession and ing that Manayunk and Main Street stay for online classes while barbershops and beauty safound a way to persevere. While small business vibrant and a destination that we are all lons went months without seeing a single client. owners maintain their drive to endure by any proud to visit. It’s amazing to know where means necessary, the future remains uncertain for your money is going and what it’s supmany who are already operating on tight margins.

porting, and that’s only possible when you support small business!” ~Robert Ashford, Unity Yoga

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You might ask yourself “So what?” or “Why should I care?” Consider the enormous impact small businesses have on your community. They are job creators, many of whom hire locally giving young adults their very first jobs. Owners constantly give back to the neighborhoods where their businesses reside, whether it’s fundraising for nonprofits, donating time and resources, or sponsoring events and sports teams. They personify the community’s identity, some even becoming destinations for visitors to the area. They are the reasons for making a neighborhood worth living in.

“Show the love and share the love! Keep Small business owners your communities vibrant by supporting every want to see their districts small business you can. Shout them out on social thrive. They made a conmedia, give them five star reviews and tell all your scious financial and personfriends and family to do the same. Together, we al investment in the areas can save them. And another thing: Remember where they choose to open a brick and mortar location. who sponsors your kids’ sports teams, dance reThe money spent within citals and school fundraisers. You don’t see the small business communities name of big box stores on their jerseys.” is reciprocated to the rest ~Tara Acosta, Sulimay’s Studio on Main of the community, whether it’s indirectly spent through state and local tax revenue or directly through business owners and employees spending their hard-earned dollars at neighboring businesses.

Let’s also consider the small business owner. Their passion and creativity shine through every facet of their business. They relentlessly hustle through thick and thin, through highs and lows to ensure their patrons receive high-quality products and services. They know their regulars by name. They know what they like. Small businesses treat their customers like part of a big family.

So now the question that bears answering is “How can I support these small businesses?” Well, the obvious answer is to spend your money at small businesses you care about. You can purchase holiday gifts, buy gift cards, order takeout or delivery, and pay for a class or service.

“The people that are employed by small businesses are at risk of losing their jobs. It seems so nihilistic, but it’s not. You’re going to see a lot of places, including independent restaurants, go under over the next six months. That’s why you need to support them. Because this is a tragic time in a low-margin business and they need your help. Whether it’s takeout, gift cards, or showing up if you’re comfortable showing up, they need your help.” ~Sean Coyle, The Goat’s Beard

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“Small businesses are the life force of communities. They give the neighborhoods we live in both character and charm; they bring an energy and vitality to the streets; they invest their hard-earned dollars back into the community. Now more than ever, it’s so important to support the small businesses you love by shopping small, spreading the word to friends and family and doing your part to tag and share on social media.

Even the smallest action can have the greatest impact.” ~Laura Anne Lamprou, LILA Philadelphia

Times are tough for a lot of people right now, but there are more ways to support small businesses beyond reaching for your wallet. Go on their social media pages and interact with their posts (like, comment, share). Better yet, give them a shout out on your own social media platforms to help spread the word. Head over to Yelp and Google and leave a positive yet sincere review. Subscribe to their email lists to stay up-to-date on their latest offerings. If you’re offline, a simple recommendation by word-of-mouth to friends and family could very well turn someone into a small business’s newest regular.

Supporting a small business means supporting somebody’s vision. The owners and staff of independent shops, restaurants, fitness studios, barbershops, and salons pour all their time, resources, money, blood, sweat and tears into the business and yet, they still find a way to love the work they do at the end of the day. They provide an experience for their customers, which is something you can’t find at a big-box retailer or a chain restaurant. There are humans behind the scenes of these businesses, not shareholders or a board of directors. A small business is a true embodiment of the American Dream. So when you’re thinking about what to eat or where to make your holiday purchases this year, consider the underdogs within your community who are fighting for survival and rely on your support.

“Having been shut down for three to four months, many of us small business owners didn’t even know if we would be able to re-open and some sadly didn’t. It was only thanks to the online support of our customers during the shutdown that we were able to pull ourselves together and get our doors open again. Now, we hope to rebuild and be there for our customers during the magical time of the holiday season and appreciate them choosing to shop small to help keep our special little neighborhood alive and thriving.” ~Brandy Deieso, The Little Apple

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Coming Together While Apart Virtual Happenings: The New Normal on Main Street

By Meghan Sack Photography by Alexa Nahas Photography (alexanahas.com) and JPG Photo & Video (jpgphotography.com)

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ur businesses on Main Street have been adapting to the new world, which heavily relies on virtual connection. Every industry in Manayunk formulated an innovative way of connecting to customers in an effort to remain in business during this turbulent time. Our district has taken the virtuality in its stride and given the “new normal� Manayunk’s signature stamp of approval. Virtual Manayunk served food around the clock, instructed daily workouts, and provided lots of activities to boot. We asked our businesses to give a resounding report on how the virtual world is treating them.

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Staying Fit Staying true to itself, Never Give Up Training moved to an online platform in the early spring to keep their clients motivated. The personal training and small group fitness studio offers private and semi-private sessions, nutrition counseling, sport specific training for college and high school students, and training plans for races, marathons, and triathlons.

“At NGU, we have both virtual classes through Zoom and also have an on demand platform for a low monthly cost (first one free) called ‘NGU and YOU,’ ” said Ali Cook-Jackson, owner and operator of Never Give Up Training. “This can be found directly on our website!”

As the city shut down in early March, Ali and her team went virtual within 12 hours. Rocking through these hard times is a challenge Ali has risen to each day throughout these past eight months. The NGU team has pivoted not only the class schedule but the class format and programming to make it successful. They have cherished their local clients as well as gained new clients throughout the United States, incorporating the virtual platform to the business model. Ali encourages people who are picking up new fitness practices and goals to go after it and enjoy yourself. One misconception is online fitness is not as competitive or enjoyable as in person. To that effect, Ali has a plan.

“What motivates you?” she asked. “It is not always the same for everyone. You need to find out what makes your client’s tick. If we are unable to form that type of relationship with them (class members or a member that does not come as often), we always bring the energy — bring our own motivation — and the vibe of our workouts at NGU speak for themselves. There won’t be one workout you’re not leaving without feeling empowered .”

There is always the possibility to pick up a new habit, and NGU’s online format is well-suited to help you achieve your goals. In November, fun events and specials will be able to be found on their social media and website pages.

One of Philadelphia’s oldest yoga studios, Yoga On Main, has transitioned during its 28th year of operating to virtual yoga classes. Though they are currently online, the studio will be reopening in the future for in-person classes. Back in March, it became clear in order to keep the “inner fire” of their clientele, the Zoom platform would be the safest and 18

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“It’s about hanging out with friends,” said JD of his virtual gatherings.

“People wanted to increase the amount of times we meet during the pandemic and after a while, they started coming to me with book recommendations.”

greatest option for their instructors to host classes. ment at home, instructors encouraged participants “It is a challenge,” said Jessica Golden, owner and “It is a challenge,” said Jessica to use laundry detergent and shampoo bottles for instructor at Yoga on Main “We have always befree weights in addition to renting out their equiplieved in the safety of our students. We do verbal Golden, owner and instructor ment. To stay engaged with classes via online, the check-ins during class and ask if anyone needs an RowZone team had ab challenges, wallsit challengalternative to the postures we go through.” at Yoga on Main “We have es, and an ‘Eric is Insane’ challenge, referencing the Jessica reported it’s been an overall exciting and owner’s exuberance. For those who couldn’t make successful transition and she looks forward to seealways believed in the safety the virtual class times, RowZone offered At- Home ing her clients in person again. Although you may packets, which presented a new workout for each have seen the “for sale” sign in the window of their of our students. We do verbal day of the week.. building, have no fear — Yoga on Main isn’t going “One of the reasons we sent home workouts is anywhere. check-ins during class and ask if because the internet is flooded with fitness informa“We are not moving,” Jessica reiterated. “We rent tion, so the members didn’t have to research things the building. The building as a whole is changing anyone needs an alternative to themselves,” Eric said. ownership but we are here to stay.”

They began offering outdoor classes three days Yoga on Main offers Inner Fire Flow, Kundalini, and the postures we go through.” a week in June at the Padelphia courts on Venice Ashtanga classes among others. In addition, they are Island, a great location that was large enough to continuing to offer teacher training online. provide six feet of space, fresh air, and in-person Similar to their peers, RowZone Manayunk, training. the indoor rowing and fitness studio on Main Street, took on many adaptations RowZone always offers class package discounts for the winter season, including during the pandemic. holiday-themed workouts, which can be found on their website. They look for“It was a completely new way of life for us,” said Eric Shoyer, co-owner of ward to offering more classes soon.

RowZone Manayunk. “We moved completely to a virtual platform when it started and stopped our memberships to become donation based. Now that we’ve Add To Cart opened our doors again, we have our memberships reinstated.”

Johnny Destructo’s Hero Complex’s book club has been in existence for Throughout the spring, RowZone offered virtual body weight classes incorpofive years and became increasingly popular during quarantine when it switched rating free weights and dumbbells. For their members who did not have equipto an online platform. Owner, JD Korejko, offers all types of awesome meeting Winter 2020 | manayunk.com 19

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JOHNNY DESTRUCTO’S HERO COMPLEX

NICOLE MILLER MANAYUNK

“People are dressing more casual now,” said Mary.

“It’s about feeling good and meeting our customers where they’re at.”

clubs from Book Club, Dungeons and Dragons, to Drink and Draw, and Board Game Night. Book Club happens every other Tuesday at 8 p.m. with Movie Club on the alternating weeks.

“It’s about hanging out with friends,” said JD of his virtual gatherings. “People wanted to increase the amount of times we meet during the pandemic and after a while, they started coming to me with book recommendations.”

The club chooses the books via an online poll each month. In order to ensure everyone has access to the book club reads, JD’s Hero Complex offers the books for sale and delivers them if needed. In addition, the shop carries a comic for everyone’s interests. If there is a genre you enjoy, there’s a comic book for you: horror, romance, Queer stories, crossover — our escapism needs are met here at JD’s.

As a form of self-care, many of us sought retail therapy during the stay-at-home order. Our need for fashion has not dwindled, however, our fashionable needs have certainly transformed. Luckily, Mary Dougherty and Jillian Dunn, owners of Nicole Miller – Manayunk, saw the need to adapt to the changing times when their customers reached out for support.

“People are dressing more casual now,” said Mary. “It’s about feeling good and meeting our customers where they’re at.”

Nicole Miller – Manayunk’s online sales skyrocketed in late March after fashion designer, Nicole Miller, began creating and producing masks. One dollar of each sale went to three charities that Nicole Miller - Manayunk has personal ties with: Fuel the Fight, Susan G. Komen, and Homefront. As a result, Manayunk customers raised $1,000 in donations for each group.

Since June 5, Nicole Miller – Manayunk has been open to customers for personal shopping experiences, but for those who aren’t comfortable shopping in person, they’ve found success with virtual styling as well. Located under the “Ser-

vices” tab of their website, book a Closet Curation, Wardrobe Workshop, or a personal shopping appointment.

Nicole Miller - Manayunk recognizes all the diversified needs of their clients and offers closet cleanouts via Zoom. Nicole Miller - Manayunk can assist you from clearing out the old to bringing in local fashion to improve your wardrobe overall and never miss a beat.

But it’s not just about your everyday shopping. Nicole Miller - Manayunk also offered last minute assistance to brides who had to pivot their wedding plans and may not have had the dress to match their new venue and guest list.

Thanks to their impromptu virtual stylings, Nicole Miller - Manayunk has the racks ready for everyone from the spontaneous nuptials to deserving essential workers to their fellow Manayunk store owners!

Speaking of brides, one industry to take on the mountainous challenge of the pandemic was the love industry. Lauren Pilgermayer was in the right place at the right time to help clients find a love connection and chase their dreams. The Dream Seen has been holding group life-coach meetings for people who need and want the support from a community seeking similar goals to give you tools to feel more empowered and confident. The most exciting new service is speed dating, offered for specific age groups and interests.

“Love connecting has evolved to socially distanced ‘slow’ speed dating events,” said Lauren, owner of The Dream Seen. “Singles fill out a brief online application regarding their dating preferences, schedule a complimentary call with me, and then they can sign up for a dating event, 1:1 personalized matchmaking, or coaching!”

At a time when it may seem like your dreams are farther away, The Dream Seen arrives to give you personalized advice and opportunity to seize the day.

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THE DREAM SEEN 22

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JAKE’S & COOPER’S WINE BAR

“We have made sure we are doing things the right way,” Maureen explained. “We have been here for 33 years. It’s important our customers know they can be safe here. We have so much space in the restaurant, you can always socially distance here.”

Dinner Delivered Greg’s Kitchen was up for the challenge of serving early risers while making sure they were safe in the execution by wearing masks, keeping their lines socially distant, and ensuring their customers feel comfortable.

“We’ve seen new sets of eyes, a whole new group of kids has moved in and they come back week after week,” commented owner and chef, Greg Gillin, on his customer’s reliability and use of masks.

Missing their loyal customer base is just one of the heartaches of the dining scene. Since Greg’s Kitchen is a cozy spot, the socially-distant setup has been workable but the staff reported they’d like to open up and see people eat warm food and “clap for tots” as they are delivered to the table for a satisfied customer.

“Thanks to everyone who reached out and bought gift cards, helping us get through the rough patch,” Greg said. “They are an amazing way to show support and we really appreciate the love. Keep spreading it around town!”

In that spirit, we can all take advantage of the “Greg-ular” mugs for holiday gifts!

Another staple in the Manayunk restaurant scene is Jake’s and Cooper’s Wine Bar, and fortunately for us, they were with us at home. The stay-at-home order was swift and although it weighed heavily on the restaurant, Jake’s and Cooper’s rose to the occasion with strength and attention to detail.

“We are signed up with GrubHub and Caviar and we are actually able to have an ordering feature on our website,” said manager, Maureen Zimmerman. “It’s very convenient this way because there are less fees on our direct website.”

The best feature of taking home Jake’s and Cooper’s was their family meal kits, which offered fine dining in the comforts of home. They will be offering kits for

the holidays in the upcoming colder months. Soup de jour and a bottle of wine from their amazingly approachable wine program will be this winter’s Friday night go-to. Of course, the famous crab cakes and delicious flatbread pizzas are still a local favorite that are available for dining in, takeout, or delivery. All the changes in menu and efforts of safety have been the biggest challenge for the long-time Manayunk hotspot.

“We have made sure we are doing things the right way,” Maureen explained.

“We have been here for 33 years. It’s important our customers know they can be safe here. We have so much space in the restaurant, you can always socially distance here.”

In addition to our frequent feasting, we never thirst on Main Street thanks to Bald Birds Brewing Co. Conveniently, they offer an easy online platform to order ahead and schedule your beer pick-up time.

Abby Feerrar, co-owner said, “We started canning a much greater quantity and variety of beer than we had been before. We implemented a new web platform for ordering and pickup that enabled us to keep serving our customers even when they weren’t able to visit the taproom.”

Looking forward to the colder months, Bald Birds will be offering one to two seasonal beers on tap that are darker and richer while promoting them throughout the holiday season.

“We have been overwhelmed by the support we’ve seen from our community since things shut down in March,” Abby added. “We are so excited to see friendly faces in the taproom again and we look forward to spending time with more customers very soon.”

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COVER STORY

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DRESSED TO IMPRESS How sisters, Ljupka Neducsin and Tanya Malinovska, have consigned their way from local pop-up to becoming local fashion icons.

By Megan Douress Photos by Susan Beard Design Co. (susanbearddesign.com)

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n any given day, the most fabulous second-hand clothing and accessories can be found in the windows of 4355 Main Street. Manayunk has been Ljupka Neducsin and Tanya Malinovska’s own personal runway since opening Remix on Main in 2009. But the fashion industry wasn’t always something the sisters envisioned themselves getting into.

“We don’t come from a major fashion city like Paris or Milan,” said Ljupka, who co-owns Remix on Main with Tanya. “We come from a very small mountain town in Macedonia.”

Ljupka and Tanya’s fascination with fashion started at a very young age. They credit their working mother, who always wore something to admire.

“She is someone who always dressed nicely for work — wearing a nice suit or matching set with plenty of accessories and heels,” Ljupka said. “We love her sense of fashion. We’re talking 10, 20, 30 years ago this all started.”

“She always had a nice lipstick or earrings with a matching necklace,” Tanya added. “She complimented her outfits, always.”

Ljupka and Tanya’s leap into entrepreneurship all started in 2005. Ljupka relocated from their home country to Manayunk, where she attended English and business marketing classes at the Community College of Philadelphia and bartended on Main Street. Tanya, however, made a pit stop in London to work as an au pair and study business before making the move across the pond in 2011.

“We live in Manayunk, we work in Manayunk – it’s our comfort, it’s our home,”

Ljupka said. “To me, it’s everything I’ve known. I’m a true Manayunk person. Tanya had no choice but to come to Manayunk!”

While briefly living on the Main Line, Ljupka met a few women who had found less and less use out of the designer clothing and accessories they had collected on their travels overseas — from Japan to Italy — throughout the years. Although she was attending school and working another job, Ljupka went out on a whim and tried her hand at designer consignment by hosting a weekend pop-up store at 4255 Main Street.

“She opened the store in 2009. That was 11 years ago,” Tanya explained. “Consignment wasn’t that big back then nor were there online consignment shops.

The only resale was eBay, but they weren’t selling Chanel or anything like that.

Sure, there were a few shops in Philadelphia, but she started selling Chanel from the very beginning.”

Ljupka found herself completely overwhelmed by the success of her weekend pop-up that June, and confirmed what she had already suspected — a designer consignment shop was exactly what this area needed. One weekend pop-up evolved into multiple weekends, and Ljupka found herself more and more intrigued by what goes into running a small business, from visualizing products and lighting to running day-to-day operations.

“I didn’t know what I was doing with the store,” Ljupka remembered. “Was it a business? Was it a weekend thing? It wasn’t opened with a business plan or a Winter 2020 | manayunk.com 27

COVER STORY

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budget. All of that came afterwards.”

“It was really interesting for Ljupka,” Tanya continued. “She was doing something that was so different and because of her studying, she got to implement some of the things she learned by creating a business.”

After two years, Ljupka had a solid business plan and relocated her shop, Remix on Main, to its permanent home at 4355 Main Street. With it, she was able to expand the amount of consignors she works with to about 1,000, some of which are still the original consignors today. However, after opening her storefront in 2011, she not only had her “baby” in her professional life, but her personal life, too. Ljupka was pregnant and desperately needed assistance in running her newly established business.

“There was no chance of me closing it because I loved it so much,” Ljupka stated. “I needed Tanya to move from London. I dragged her, basically, to Manayunk.”

“After that, the rest is history,” Tanya laughed.

The sisters found the perfect balance as business partners. Tanya was more of the creative one who thrived when creating visuals and displays.

“It’s all of these evolving things,” Tanya said. “[Ljupka] started it as a pop-up store but it went from pop-up store to finding business for clients, and then suddenly you’re thinking about visualizing products and lighting.”

On the other hand, Ljupka loved being behind the scenes of their three services: buying, selling, and consigning.

“Our business is a two-way street,” Ljupka explained. “We don’t have the easy part that other stores have where they go and purchase from the brands or manufacturers. We hunt for those pieces and when you finally find those pieces, you have to make sure that those people are willing to sell those pieces. It’s a fine line of how much they’ll let them go for and how much we can sell them for.”

“It’s not only up to us to keep happy customers who are shopping but keeping the consignors happy who are giving us their goods for sale,” Tanya added. “We are basically the bridge to both of those groups.”

Upon entering the store today, customers find racks of blouses, jeans, and

cocktail dresses from designers such as Burberry and Versace. The shelves are filled with sneakers, heels, and booties by the likes of Fendi and Louis Vuitton, but perhaps the most impressive is their extensive collection of handbags, particularly Chanel ones, which are Ljupka’s personal favorite. When asked if they have any memorable stories about tracking down specific products for their customers, Tanya recalled a time they found themselves chatting directly with the source.

“The fashion industry is ever-evolving so there’s always new pieces,” she said.

“One year, we had a customer looking for these Oscar de la Renta pieces that were all one-of-a-kind. They were full of all sequins, so beautiful. We couldn’t find the pieces so we wound up calling Oscar de la Renta’s offices in New York City.”

“We do take pride in authenticating and guaranteeing. Our name is behind it,” Tanya added.

Ljupka and Tanya pride themselves in never forgetting where they came from: Inspired by the quality clothing their mother wore when they were growing up.

Their goal has always been to sell well-made pieces — and they’ve been selling a lot of the same designer brands since day one, such as Chanel and Gucci. The most challenging thing for them, however, is ensuring all of their products are the real deal.

“Our business has been built on trust, transparency, and our ability to authenticate the items and continue to learn about those items,” Ljupka said. “We went from a temporary pop-up to a full-time storefront, and those are the things that kept us going for many years.”

“We do take pride in authenticating and guaranteeing. Our name is behind it,” Winter 2020 | manayunk.com 29

COVER STORY

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Tanya added.

While it’s obvious that buying consignment pieces will save you money on the most quality clothing and accessories, the environmental impact of purchasing a used item is significant, too. Tanya stated that if everyone in the United States bought one used item instead of a new item, it would save nearly 6 billion pounds of carbon emission. That’s the equivalent of taking half a million cars off of roads for an entire year.* “What’s important about the sustainability of our consigned pieces is their durability, too — the way they are made, the layers of the canvas, the kind of leather that was used,” Ljupka said. “I just came across a Chanel bag from 1989. That is a 31-year-old handbag! Today, things are not made to last so long. There’s something to be said about the durability and the timeless nature of those goods.”

“Buying second hand is not only kinder to the planet but mostly, the consignment shops are owned by small business owners such as ourselves,” Tanya added.

“They’re mom and pop shops. We’re the backbone of the local economy. There is always something new and interesting — new clients and new designers. It’s what’s so fascinating about fashion and consignment that keeps us going.”

Supporting small businesses in the time of COVID-19 can be a challenge, especially during the holiday season when crowds are expected. However, many of Manayunk’s boutiques have adapted to the times and offer curbside pickup, free shipping, and more — and Remix on Main is no exception. What started as a small weekend pop-up evolved into a permanent storefront, but in recent months, a lot of their business has moved online. Ljupka and Tanya have upped their social media game and even Skype with clients who aren’t comfortable shopping in-person.

“I will go the extra mile to communicate with a client – either on social media or email – hours at a time to make sure what they’re buying is what they like,” Ljupka

said. “I want them to understand what they’re buying, how it feels, etc. I’ll engage with our clients via phone or social media, FaceTime, Skype – whatever it takes. We really take pride in our small business so our service is really important.”

When you’re ready to do your in-person holiday shopping, Remix on Main also offers one-on-one shopping appointments and has limited the number of people they’ll allow in the store at one time to five, including Ljupka and Tanya. As for what will be in style for the holidays, the sisters say to think “big.”

“We always see oversized necklaces,” Tanya said. “We see square toe heels, chunky boots with feminine dresses, we see oversized Victorian sleeves, and the bucket bags are back.”

According to Ljupka, what’s in style isn’t always what she considers fashionable.

She always puts her personal comfort first, which is perfectly on trend these past few months.

“One of the things I love is a dress with sneakers,” Ljupka said of her fashion choices. “An oversized dress with Nike sneakers is fine. But the comfort is a big part of my fashion.”

“I do believe that comfort is key,” Tanya added. “If you’re in the fashion business, you can tell when they’re wearing the clothes or if the clothes are wearing them.”

Ljupka and Tanya both admit that this is a very challenging time for the fashion industry. Products are hard to come by due to travel restrictions, and it’s difficult to get the true look and feel of material when you’re ordering online — but don’t let that get in the way of your true style.

“Fashion is something that can make you feel empowered, it can make you feel confident, it’s how you express and discover yourself,” Ljupka said. “It allows you to choose how to present yourself to the world. It might not be the most important part of a person but it’s the first impression of a person.” *Study conducted by thredUP and Green Story, Inc. Winter 2020 | manayunk.com 31

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The Puppy Boom A resource guide for all of Manayunk’s newest four-legged friends.

By Megan Douress Photos by Alexa Nahas Photography (alexanahas.com) TERRYLEAHYFILMS (terryleahyfilms.com)

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A

sk any Manayunk resident and they’ll tell you how much this community loves its dogs. From the outdoor dining scene and pet-friendly shopping to the many walking trails, our four-legged friends have it made when they spend time in this neighborhood.

People seeking some comfort and company flooded local animal shelters and rescues when the city shut down due to the coronavirus this past spring. Luckily, Manayunk has many resources for new pet owners and fun activities for their canine companions.

For Essentials

City of Paws Pet Care 4235 Main Street cityofpawspetcare.com There’s no better place to get all of your pet’s needs than City of Paws Pet Care.

What started specifically as a dog walking and pet sitting business has expanded into a pet essentials storefront located at 4235 Main Street.

Although City of Paws Pet Care has always carried the basics, such as leashes, collars, bowls, treats, and more, the recent surge of new furry friends to the neighborhood led owner, Danny Offenbacher, to put together new dog/puppy packages for quarantine pets.

“We offer several baskets with all sorts of essentials,” Danny explained. “The basket chosen depends on what the pet owner is looking for. We have a grooming basket, as well as puppy and treat baskets. We can put a basket together or we can help someone pick out all of the essentials at our store based on their pet’s specific needs.”

And for those who recently adopted a “mystery mutt,” you might find it challenging to find the right size harness or crate for your growing pup. Luckily, Danny implemented a rental program for both products so new pet owners don’t waste their time and money on things they won’t need in a matter of months.

“It’s a great option because for a lot of people, when they’re shopping for things they need, they don’t know how big their dog will grow so the purpose of this program is that they’ll pre-purchase their final harness and crate and then they can come in any time they need to size up and it’s only a few

dollars,” Danny explained. “Then they keep the final product once their pet is fully grown!”

Due to the growing need for pet essentials on Main Street, City of Paws Pet Care recently started carrying pet food based on all of their customers’ needs, including puppy and senior food, grain and grain free, wet and dry, and all kinds of protein bases. They’ll even deliver it to your home.

“We order from our vendors weekly, so we’re able to custom order food if someone needs a specific brand or if they want a larger sized bag than what we carry in the store,” Danny said.

Whether you’re still working from home or are heading back into the office, Danny and his team are ready to offer the essential activity of an afternoon walk for those who can’t step away from their desk most days. The walkers are taking every safety precaution, from using their own leashes to sanitizing anything they may touch in your home.

“We will take dogs on neighborhood walks, park adventures, and hikes to provide enrichment even while folks are home or have sporadic work schedules,” Danny explained. “If anyone needs our help over the holidays with pet sitting, get in touch with us with as much notice as possible – we’ll be booking up quickly.”

Other essential businesses:

Manayunk Pooch Scoochers (manayunkpoochscoochers.com) Walk This Way LLC (walkthiswayllc.com) Winter 2020 | manayunk.com 35

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For Wellness

Premier Pet Services 4325 Main Street Premierpets.online We’re thrilled Premier Pet Services is the newest pet business to open their doors this year! Premier Pet Services is a wellness center for dogs, with services ranging from grooming to exercise, but her most popular tool — the water treadmill — is making waves and putting the new business on the map.

“One minute in the water treadmill is three minutes on land,” explained Kelley Wade, owner of Premier Pet Services. “Thirty minutes in the treadmill is an hour and a half walk on land, so it’s especially beneficial for overweight dogs and senior dogs.”

Sure, getting your dog some water time any time of year is fun, but Kelley’s clients use the water treadmill for all kinds of health benefits, one being relief from arthritis. The water assists in relieving weight from their joints. Cold-weather dogs with double coats (i.e. huskies) and brachycephalic dogs, or dogs with short noses (i.e. bulldogs), also benefit from the water treadmill when the weather warms up, which might be a challenge come walk time due to restricted airways.

Finally, dogs who are in agility training can also be challenged with the addition of water resistance.

“For dogs that need something extra, we have jets, there’s an incline — I can really pump it for really athletic dogs as well,” Kelley said.

While the water treadmill might be the most popular service clients come in for, Premier Pet Services also specializes in grooming in a low stimulus environment — a service that is extremely beneficial for dogs who are typically nervous or scared in new situations.

“It’s called ‘desensitizing’ or ‘decompression,’ ” Kelley explained of the process her groomer uses. “Dogs who are reactive have a threshold and there are multiple thresholds to reactivity. A dog will let you know what stage it’s at where it’s

kind of agitated — kind of questioning the situation — and we’ll let them take a step back and decompress. Or they can be in full-out, ‘I’m going to bite your face’ mode and then we’ll take them off the table, let them calm down and get back to that decompressed state, and slowly get them back on the table when they realize it’s not so bad. We take that extra time with the dogs here.”

Whether you have a new puppy or just adopted an adult dog, Kelley recommends bringing them to her business as soon as possible to ensure your dog feels safe with each visit. And if you’re the owner of a bully breed, Kelley and her team are more than happy to serve them as well.

“We don’t discriminate here,” Kelley said. “If you have a breed that is simply misunderstood, we’re willing to work with you here.”

For now, Premier Pet Services isn’t allowing any humans to accompany their dogs during appointments. Kelley asks that clients drop their dogs off and she will notify clients 30 minutes before they need to be picked up. With that said, Kelley does plan on bringing more retail into the store in the near future — focusing mostly on healthy items for dogs such supplements or treat alternatives.

Customers will be allowed to shop at a maximum of two people in the store at a time, which Kelley, who also owns a dog-walking business, is very much looking forward to.

“I love all of the new dog friends I’ve made and their owners,” Kelley said. “Since I couldn’t expand my dog walking business — I’ve been booked out for about two years — it’s been a great way to help dogs without dog walking. It’s a whole new venue.”

Other wellness businesses:

The Animedic Veterinary Hospital (theanimedic.com) Canine Clippers (215-482-9091) Winter 2020 | manayunk.com 37

For Socialization

Scallywags Dog Daycare 4367 Cresson Street scallywagsmnyk.com You may have welcomed a new dog into your home to keep you company during the pandemic, but what you may not realize is that giving them enough play time with friends of their own will play a key role in their overall health and happiness. Luckily, Scallywags Dog Daycare reopened their doors this summer to help ensure both needs are met.

“We get that question a lot. ‘Why do they need us when they’re working from home?’” said Jessica Rabenstine, who co-owns Scallywags Dog Daycare with Lauren Bockmeyer. “Socialization as early as possible is really important for them. They’ll get along better with other dogs. When they come here, our clients have a tired, happy pup at the end of the day. I think most of our clients are still working from home and they bring them here almost just as much because their dog’s happiness isn’t any less important now that they’re working from home.”

For new dog owners, getting set up at the daycare is an easy, yet careful process to ensure everyone’s safety. Before your dog’s first day, new clients can register through the daycare’s website and will be prompted to answer a questionnaire, which asks about their dog’s vaccination records and most importantly, their behavior trends. Then, Lauren and Jessica will set your pup up with a trial day to see how they get along with the regular “pack.” Your dog will be invited to the daycare first thing in the morning so they can get acclimated.

“We have some dogs that are pretty timid, especially now because they have been in quarantine so long and they’re not used to being around other dogs,” 38

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Jessica explained. “It usually takes them a session or two and then they’re OK.” “We try to guide them and let the other dogs guide them with social cues,” Lauren added. “Sometimes, they’ll get a little too rough or they’ll get too excited and we need them to cool off for a second — just learning some of the social cues from their friends here and us giving them verbal commands to calm down.

That’s what we like to see — we don’t have too many issues.”

Once your dog is approved to be a part of the pack, you can expect lots of playtime — and frequent updates about said playtime on Instagram.

“It’s an absolutely cage-free environment so they’re free to be themselves and have a good time,” said Lauren. “That’s what they’re here to do, play with their besties and come hang out. They’re always so excited to come here and play.”

Because they always have numerous dogs in and out of their doors on a daily basis, they’ve always kept the daycare clean and tidy. But handling so many dogs in the time of a pandemic has created challenges all of their own, which lead them to implement contactless drop off and pickup.

“We ask people to wait outside at the bottom of the steps, and then they’ll hand us the leash and that’s it. It’s the same thing when they pick up,” Lauren said. “It’s very seamless and convenient. A lot of our clients like it because it takes two seconds.”

Although this time has been challenging for Lauren and Jessica, they love and appreciate all of the new friends they’ve made in the process.

“We’ve definitely had an influx,” Lauren said. “We did, unfortunately, have some clients who didn’t come back so it is nice that all of these new dogs joined. They’re the new gang!

“And it’s a lot of puppies, which is fun. The group is a lot younger than preCOVID!” Jessica laughed.

For Fun

Pet Friendly Dog Bakery 4324 Main Street petfriendlydogbakery.com It’s an all too familiar scene for Manayunk dog owners. It’s a Saturday afternoon and you’re taking your dog for a stroll down Main Street when suddenly, your dog starts pulling you towards 4324 Main Street. It’s understandable why they would act that way, too. The Pet Friendly Dog Bakery has truly been a treat for dogs since they opened their doors in 2018. The fun-filled boutique offers locally made dog cookies, apparel and accessories, and plenty of room for playtime with space both indoors and outdoors. Manager, Stephanie Johnson, is thrilled with the recent “puppy boom,” which has led to many new furry faces at the store.

“I’m ecstatic!” Stephanie laughed.

Stephanie has a special bond with her customers as she handpicks all of the products carried in the store. She even coordinates with a local baker to decorate cookies and create treat flavors depending on the season and upcoming holidays. Her go-to recommendation for new dog owners still getting the hang of training are the jerky treats, which can easily be broken into pieces for small rewards.

“It’s all natural and even if a dog doesn’t necessarily like sweet things, they always love jerky,” she said.

Regular customers may have noticed a few new cookies to the case this fall when they added dog-safe versions of some of our favorite sweet treats, including granola donuts and peanut butter cannolis.

And while that’s all good and tasty, Stephanie’s personal favorite new product line is also food related — but we don’t recommend you let your dog eat these!

“We have a new toy line that we started carrying right as the pandemic hit called P.L.A.Y.,” Stephanie said. “They have such cute toys — all different food items. We have a chicken and waffle rope toy, some French fries that squeak and come apart, and we also have the ‘Buddy Mary,’ which looks like a Bloody Mary but has all of these fun pieces that crinkle and make noise.”

While the interactive toys and treats are great for temporarily keeping your new pup busy, Stephanie and her team have also been keeping plenty of chews on the shelves, which are super helpful for all of those virtual meetings and work calls from home.

When you’re able to get away from your desk for some playtime, the Pet Friendly Dog Bakery has a safe option for both indoor and outdoor sessions.

For the time being, you can reserve a spot for your furry friend at www.calendly. com/pfdb. There, you’ll find all available time slots and upcoming “parties” for your dog to engage in.

“The reason we did the Calendly is because we want to be really careful,” Stephanie explained. “We don’t want people going down to play and then someone not bringing their mask or not social distancing — we don’t want anyone to get sick so we’re being almost overly cautious.”

This holiday season, look out for some seasonally-appropriate “parties” and stocking stuffers at the Pet Friendly Dog Bakery.

Winter 2020 | manayunk.com 39

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Hell or High Water How Manayunk’s business owners reinvented the word ‘community’ during the recent pandemic.

WINNIE’S MANAYUNK

By Jessica Jewel Tyler Photos by Melissa Kelly Photography (melissakellyphotography.com) and TERRYLEAHYFILMS (terryleahyfilms.com)

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MANAYUNK BREWING COMPANY

U

nder the stay-at-home order — and on one occasion, a few inches of water — Manayunk’s small business community was almost buried. But with the help of our neighbors, the crisis helped fertilize creativity and the community grew both literally and figuratively.

With a white picket fence and delicate greenery juxtaposing the black asphalt, Winnie’s Manayunk was one of the first garden streeteries to pop up in Manayunk. Before we knew it, this theme started sprouting further down Main Street until it became an urban orchard.

“I didn’t want to just bring my tables outside, I wanted to hook people,” asserted owner, Winnie Clowry. “After I had my streetery set up, everyone told me the picket fences started selling out everywhere!”

Winnie recruited the help of a trusted friend to help with the welcoming design. The bright colors put everyone in a great mood, but the overall garden idea was inspired by her menu of fresh food. During the to-go only phase, this menu was perfected. She explained that every week, she “found out what was ordered and catered to the taste buds of the customers accordingly.” With slower business, she had the time, so she wanted to comfort her loyal customers in the best way she knew how.

Winnie’s transformation was truly inside out.

“The pandemic stopped me in my tracks,” she stated.

If she hadn’t been convinced by a neighbor to fight and adapt, she might not have opened her doors again. From that point, Winnie dedicated this new found time to helping her customers, employees, and neighbors. She offered more service to her customers, catered her operations to the employees’ needs, and she inspired other businesses to open their doors and adapt too, because the whole of Manayunk is better than the sum of its parts.

Another large part of Manayunk is “The Brewpub,” as locals have called Manayunk Brewing Company for almost 25 years. Pre-quarantine, this local spot buzzed with music, from spinning DJs to acoustic bands, almost every night.

There’s always a different vibe and new varieties on the menu to match the diverse group of people that visit. (Where else can you find sushi and pizza on the

same menu?)

From first dates to weddings and family celebrations, the brewpub has grown with Manayunk through all stages of our lives, but because they do not offer takeout, during the stay-athome order, business stopped completely.

As they say, “When it rains, it pours.” Hurricane Isais’ rainfall submerged the restaurant a few weeks after they were allowed to open again.

“If it was going to flood, it would definitely happen in 2020,” event coordinator, Paris Rose Antonogiannis lamented.

When Paris noticed the flood coming, she had two hours to get staff to move valuable equipment out of water’s way. Within 45 minutes, there were 25 employees in the restaurant ready to “take the place apart and put it back together, together.”

“They didn’t have to come in, but they are good people and we are lucky,” Paris stated.

Other restaurants even reached out to help and sent food down during the 10-day cleaning process.

The now reopened brewpub is so thankful for the support from long-time staff and customers and decided to go back to its roots of smaller batches and more variety of beer. They found a perfect brewmaster, Evan Fritz, who’s not afraid to “try new things and test people’s palettes.”

Being on the lower end of Main Street, the flood of Hurricane Isais also affected a business celebrating its first birthday, Verilife Medical Marijuana Dispensary. As the only business of its kind in Manayunk, and an essential business during quarantine, they held a large responsibility to remain open and continue to provide reliable products that improved the wellness of their patients.

But once the water receded, they were forced to close the entire business for several weeks to repair and rebuild.

Winter 2020 | manayunk.com 43

THE WALL CYCLING STUDIO “In a word, the damage was ‘heartbreaking.’ ” said community outreach leader, Renee Straup. “ But we knew we had to work quickly to repair our dispensary to its original safety and security to continue to serve the patients who rely on us,” But “passion and purpose fuels” Renee. Through the pandemic and flooding, they have restructured the in-store shopping experience to ensure patients have safe access to medical products, and made temporary changes to allow safer accommodations such as curbside pickup and remote telehealth consultations.

The safety of dispensary employees and patients was paramount. Staff immediately aligned their business practices with CDC guidelines and even dedicated the first hour of daily dispensary operations to patients who were 65+ and/or immuno-compromised.

Renee is extremely committed to improving people’s lives through cannabis, but also through community. She’s partnered with local restaurants to offer specials on food with a receipt from a Verilife dispensary. She said it was an important choice because “our community is made stronger when we look outside of ourselves, and our specific mission, to support the good work others do.”

Support and partnership seem to be a general theme throughout pandemic in Manayunk. Juliet Sabella, owner of The Wall Cycling Studio, and Meredith Gornick, owner of Latitudes and Longitudes, met about five years ago but were brought together as friends and partners during the stay-at-home order.

Since barre and spin are the two main offerings at The Wall, both requiring equipment, Julie had to think fast and sensibly. Within 18 hours of the mandatory shutdown, Julie got her classes up and running online, and equipment rented out to those who were interested.

“We had to completely adjust the way we are accustomed to teaching,” explained Julie. “When you rely heavily on physical adjustments and can no longer do that, you need to become very good at teaching to clients, almost as if they were blindfolded. Your words have to flow to guide them.”

While most small businesses in Philadelphia were open as early as July, the same can’t be said for fitness studios. Meredith, being the good friend she is, called Julie to check on her, but also to half-jokingly mention, “You know I have a backyard, right?”

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Later that day, Meredith called her contractor and had the backyard of Latitudes and Longitudes cleaned up and installed a fence. On weekends, Julie’s husband, Karl, and her father-in-law built the much-needed platform where the classes would be held. In addition, Meredith’s husband, Greg, worked on sprucing up the garden. After a month of everyone working in the summer heat, the outside spin studio, dubbed “The Yard,” was complete.

Julie has continued to do everything possible to make sure her clients are able to maintain their goals and drive. While clients can’t wait to get back into a more regular routine, they love making memories in The Yard. Everyone who comes to take a class signs the platform and gets their picture taken. Both the platform and photos will be hanging in the studio once it’s back open full-time. In the meantime, Meredith offers a store discount after every class.

“Our members have nicknamed Meredith our spinning fairy godmother,” laughed Julie.

“I know how much Julie’s business means not only to her and her employees, but to the community,” said Meredith. “Physical activity brings a great release of stress and sense of routine and that’s something the community still needs with so much unknown.

While you may look at Expect Lace, a lingerie store, and Taqueria Amor, a taco bar, as having nothing in common, we see a perfect pair. Both local businesses were built on a foundation of love and inclusion, which led to a collaboration like no other.

Shaw Lewis founded Expect Lace so women could expect to find their true bra size and offer everything from 30A to 32J. Meanwhile Tim Spinner recently transformed his taqueria into a place for “amor” and continues to grow his menu for people with all types of dietary needs, including vegan and gluten-free options.

Although the stay-at-home order forced Shaw to close for three months, it forced Tim to think “outside the restaurant.” This included a beautiful streetery and transforming the front of his building to make a custom takeout window.

From across the street, this pivot motivated Shaw to be “willing to try something

TUBBY ROBOT ICE CREAM FACTORY

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new and do whatever it takes.”

“Shaw’s storefront is beautiful,” said Tim as he shared his admiration for Expect Lace. “If you have a few margaritas and look across the street with your partner, it’s a great time to shop, so we love having them here.”

Together, they came up with an Expect Lace Margarita and a coupon for lingerie or dinner for one night only in August. Customers sipped on this flirty passion fruit margarita topped with white sangria. The combination was so tantalizing that it sold out before the end of the night!

Burgers and freshmade ice cream go hand and hand, providing a taste of nostalgia during an unprecedented time. However, the stay-at-home order froze Tubby Robot Ice Cream Factory’s business for three and a half months, just before summer started.

People were screaming for ice cream and Chris Maguire, the co-owner of Tubby Robot, and Chris Barnes, the managing partner of Lucky’s Last Chance, launched a plan. Although Tubby Robot had never made half gallons or sold at

another location before, they agreed to sell the tasty treat at Lucky’s Last Chance while Tubby Robot’s location was reimagined.

Pioneering an ice cream pop-up at a local burger joint was a bit of a pickle to figure out. Lucky’s Last Chance didn’t have room for all the ice cream, so Chris Maguire had to lug it back and forth in coolers. However, in the end, Chris Barnes said his biggest issue was “trying not to eat all of the Cinnamon Boast Bunch flavor.”

“It worked for both of us,” Chris Barnes revealed. “It brought new fans to both of us and it offered something to our customers as a reward for keeping each other safe.”

As of July, Tubby Robot has reopened with a side window for pick-up and tons of tricks up their sleeves.

“It was scary walking back into the space but one of the things we tried to do was be creative and try new things,” said Chris Maguire.

This success resulted in a further collaboration with Lucky’s Last Chance’s PB&J Burger, in the form of limited time only peanut butter, jelly, and bacon ice cream!

TAQUERIA AMOR

Winter 2020 | manayunk.com 45

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By Leo Dillinger

Photos by JPG Photo & Video (jpgphotography.com) and TERRYLEAHYFILMS (terryleahyfilms.com)

Crust Vegan Bakery (4409 Main Street) After more than five years specializing in wholesale vegan hand-baked goods, Crust Vegan Bakery owners Meagan Benz and Shannon Roche expanded their operations and opened their first brick-and-mortar on Main Street in August 2020.

For the last two and a half years, Crust has operated out of a commercial kitchen space on Krams Avenue, just a half mile away from their new storefront.

While they continue to offer cakes and other specialty items for your socially-distant special occasions, parties, and events, the retail shop offers new menu items like cinnamon buns, biscuit sandwiches, and a wide variety of cookies that have consistently sold out every weekend.

“We got really lucky with the storefront opening up down the road from us,” Meagan said. “Our friend Dan from Sugar Philly used to rent it, and we actually used to share an overnight kitchen in East Falls with him years ago. It all kind of came full circle. He was moving on to another project and asked if we were interested in the storefront. We thought that could totally be our pivot during COVID to keep our staff employed and spread out.”

The Dream Seen (4347 Main Street) Lauren Pilgermayer had a longtime vision to create a space that could bring people together to help them accomplish their goals and become the best version of themselves. On June 5th, that vision became reality with the opening of the Dream Seen, a venue dedicated to workshops and events where Lauren helps her clients reach their full potential.

Lauren focuses on two types of services at The Dream Seen. First, she offers life and relationship coaching, including one-on-one sessions, group coaching, and online coaching sessions. Her other service is love connecting and matchmaking through a variety of socially distant, slow speed dating for singles looking to meet new people.

“I see possibilities for people that they don’t yet believe are possible,” Lauren said. “And when they begin to get the support of a coach, do the work, and believe in themselves, they see things come to fruition and the quality of their lives and relationships get better and better.”

Pizza Jawn (4330 Main Street) David Lee, owner of Manayunk Athletics and Pizza Jawn, has had a passion for making pizza for more than 15 years. Starting out of his home oven using frozen dough, he truly began to craft his style after a one-on-one meeting with Joe Beddia and the purchase of his first portable pizza oven that he bought off of Ebay.

After a series of pop-ups at breweries and house parties, “Pizza Jawn” took on a life of its own as David grew a devoted armada of social media followers and started booking events six to eight months in advance prior to COVID. David’s three signature pies are the “Round” (a Neapolitan/NY style hybrid), “Grandma Style” (a Grandma/Sicilian hybrid), and the Detroit style. But if you want to get a taste of his pizza, make sure you preorder a week in advance because they’re going fast.

“One thing we’re trying to do is bring more people to Main Street,” David said.

“We have a huge following and we can drive people to come here and encourage them to check out the local stores while they’re waiting. Really, it’s such a great community of the businesses and the people that live here. I love to see how the street has grown over the years.”

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Premier Pet Services (4325 Main Street) Kelley Wade, owner of Premier Pet Services, has been a professional dog walker for the last six years. When her dog, Franz, lost his battle to Degenerative Myelopathy, she wanted to find a way to honor him and expand her services by doing something more than dog walking.

“I used to take him to physical therapy and I realized how expensive that was,” Kelley said. “The machine we used, the water treadmill, is so versatile that I realized I could use it for agility training, weight loss, arthritic dogs and more. I said to myself that could be something I could do for my dog’s legacy: to open a wellness center for dogs.”

Not only does Premier Pet Services offer the incredibly beneficial water treadmill sessions, Kelley and her team also provide full service grooming and decompression training to get your four-legged friend more comfortable with the grooming process. Kelley also recently began a retail aspect to her business featuring products that will keep your dog healthy. Kelley prides herself in saying that there is no breed discrimination whatsoever at Premier Pet Services, so dogs of all shapes and sizes are welcome at Manayunk’s newest pet-friendly business.

Mi ‘N Tea (4229 Main Street)

Pizzeria L’Angolo (4105 Main Street)

Brother/sister duo Troy and Kim Dieu opened their brand new restaurant on April 18th, just one month after the stay-at-home order began. Specializing in different styles of banh mi sandwiches and bubble tea that are both traditional and trendy, Mi ‘N Tea was created as a space to bring people together.

Sure, you can order the classic banh mi for starters, but once you become a regular, you’ll be eager to try the bold new flavors like the Crispy Fried Shrimp Banh Mi or the “Gettin’ Fancy”, which is a Japanese deep-fried filet mignon banh mi. For drinks, you can try their Vietnamese coffee-style drinks or a variety of bubble tea flavors.

“We never imagined we’d launch during a pandemic, but the community support we’ve received has been tremendous,” Kim said. “We truly appreciate every customer, and we hope to be a bright spot in everyone’s day by providing exceptional-quality food, exciting new flavors, and the friendliest service. It’s been an amazing journey so far, and we’re excited to keep growing and serving the Manayunk community.”

Guido Abbate is no stranger to the neighborhood. He has worked on and off at local Manayunk restaurants for the last 25 years and now, he has finally opened his very own pizza spot in late May. Pizzeria L’Angolo, which literally translates to “The Corner Pizzeria” in Italian, is located at the corner of Main Street and Shurs Lane and offers a well-crafted menu and a beautiful open courtyard for al fresco dining.

As a longtime chef, Guido and his team focus on using the best ingredients available to craft their menu items, like the traditional and “Nonna” style pizzas, salads, and signature sandwiches like the “L’angolo Sandwich”, which is a chicken cutlet sandwich served with mozzarella, long hot peppers, broccoli rabe, and shaved sharp provolone. Guido loves the mixture of people in Manayunk and has gained a large number of regulars in his first year of business.

“I always wanted to open a pizza place in Manayunk, but I never took a step forward,” Guido said. “I was away from Manayunk for about eight years roughly and I said to myself, ‘It’s time to go back.’ That’s why we opened L’Angolo.”

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